Enjoy your super early update <33
Like
.
.
.
.
.
Comment
.
.
.
.
.
Share/Follow
.
.
.
~ Constructive feedback is appreciated~
.
.
.
♦ Please don't be a silent reader,and at least leave a like to motivate me♦
.
.
.
Nicolo's POV:
My heart sank as I watched my sister walk away, her rejection hanging heavy in the air between us. Despite her clear dismissal, I couldn't shake the urge to pour out my feelings to her, to let her know that I was ready to stand by her side no matter what. I wanted to assure her that I'd fight any battle for her, even if it meant taking on the whole world.
But beneath her tough exterior, I sensed a longing for family, a desire she couldn't quite bring herself to admit. What was holding her back from accepting our love? Were we really that unbearable to her? The unanswered questions gnawed at me, leaving me feeling helpless in the face of her distant demeanor.
With a heavy sigh, I trudged down the hallway toward Matthew's room, a knot of frustration tightening in my chest. His silence spoke volumes, a stark reminder of the unanswered message I had sent him earlier. Best friend or not, he had some explaining to do.
I rapped my knuckles against Matthew's door, a hollow sound that echoed my apprehension. Without waiting for a response, I pushed the door open and stepped inside, finding him perched on the edge of his bed, engrossed in his phone screen.
"I really can't decide if I want to yell at you or if I want you to comfort me," I muttered, the frustration seeping into my voice. My words seemed to jolt Matthew from his reverie, his gaze snapping up to meet mine as if he had only just realized my presence in the room.
"Hey man... when did you get in?" Matthew's voice carried a hint of weariness as he rubbed his tired eyes. It was evident he hadn't been getting much sleep lately, a fact that didn't bode well considering the turbulent situation at hand.
"Where were you?" I asked bluntly, my tone leaving no room for evasion. There was no sense in tiptoeing around the issue—I needed answers, plain and simple.
"We went to get some ice-cream. She was in a bad mood, and ice-cream always helps," Matthew replied, the words flowing effortlessly from his lips. But there was a familiarity to the lie, a smoothness that left me questioning just how many times I had accepted his deceit without a second thought.
"You're quite the proficient liar," I remarked, settling onto the small couch positioned adjacent to his bed. My gaze remained fixed on him, unyielding. "I can't help but wonder how many times I've been fooled by your smooth words."
"I only lie to you when it concerns Vanessa, otherwise, I can promise you, I've never lied," Matthew defended himself, his words laced with a desperate attempt to salvage the shattered trust between us. But promises alone couldn't erase the bitter taste of betrayal that lingered in the air.
"Next time, don't bother," I declared firmly, the weight of my words heavy in the air. "I'd rather hear nothing at all than be fed lies." My resolve was unyielding; I could appreciate his loyalty to my sister, but deceit was a line I refused to tolerate. Better an honest adversary than a false friend, casting shadows over our bond with deceitful words.
"Thanks for understanding, man," Matthew breathed out, his relief palpable in the air. But his reprieve was destined to be short-lived. I couldn't ignore the gnawing truth that lingered beneath the surface. Everything was a damn mess, and I wasn't about to pretend otherwise.
"Yeah, well, don't get too comfortable," I retorted, cutting through the momentary calm. "This isn't over, not by a long shot. Nothing's alright, everything's screwed up."
"What do you mean? Are you alright?" Matthew rose from the bed, a hint of concern etched across his tired features as he moved toward me. I shook my head, gesturing for him to stay put with a firm motion.
"I'm not sure, man. Why don't you tell me?" I answered, my voice growing increasingly tense with each word I spoke. "I came into your room, saw you glued to your phone, and I've been worried sick since earlier. I've been texting you, but not a single response. Is it really that hard to type a few words and hit send?" My agitation escalated with each sentence, and it wasn't until Matthew urged me to calm down that I realized just how worked up I had become.
"Keep it down, the kids are resting," he urged, his tone soft but insistent. I sighed deeply, running my hands through my hair and gripping them tightly with irritation. My insides churned with a mix of emotions, a jumble I couldn't quite untangle.
"Sorry, man. I don't know what came over me," I muttered, perplexed by my sudden outburst. Anger wasn't a usual reaction for me, and Matthew seemed to recognize that, judging by the way he scrutinized my expression.
"What's really eating at you?" Matthew inquired, fully engaged in our conversation. His fingers interlocked and resting in his lap, he resembled a therapist in that moment. The irony wasn't lost on me.
And in a burst of emotion, I blurted out, "Why does she hate me?"
Matthew let out a long exhale, his gaze softening as he regarded my troubled demeanor. "Van doesn't hate you," he reassured me gently.
"Well, she doesn't exactly like me either," I interjected, cutting him off mid-sentence, earning an irritated glare in response.
"She doesn't really like anyone in general," he countered my point. "But she likes you," I managed to whisper out, hardly audible amidst the weight of the conversation.
"Nic, bloody hell, mate," he exclaimed, finally mustering the courage to approach my seated figure.
"It hurts, you know," I confessed, the weight of my emotions spilling forth. "I've been trying my best, but it feels like I can't break through her walls. She doesn't see how much it tears me apart every time she pushes me away. I want her to understand that I'm her brother, that I'd do anything for her. I'd burn the world down if it meant she'd just accept me. I want her to come to me for help, to call me her brother. Is that too much to ask for?"
As the words poured out, I felt a weight lifting from my shoulders, the burden of carrying these feelings alone gradually dissipating. Sharing them with my best friend felt like a release, a cathartic moment in the midst of my struggle.
"Nic, your feelings are valid. Believe me, they are," Matthew assured me earnestly. "And it's not you, it's Van. You're doing your best as her brother, I can see that. But with Van, it's different. She's apprehensive, struggling to sort out her feelings. It's incredibly hard for her to trust others. I've known her for years, but even I don't fully understand her."
"I can't say when, but I believe she'll start to open up to you a bit more," he reassured me, his voice filled with hope. "I don't think your efforts are going unnoticed by her. So, hang in there and keep doing what you're doing. I trust in you."
"I hope so too, because I really want to make up for the lost time," I admitted, a hint of vulnerability creeping into my tone. "But you should know, it doesn't make me any less jealous of your bond with her." Matthew chuckled at my grumpiness, offering a comforting pat on my shoulders."I wouldn't expect anything less from your petty arse," he teased playfully.
Soon, a peaceful silence descended between us, the tension that had loomed earlier finally dissipating. Then I broke the silence with heartfelt gratitude. "Thank you, man. I really needed that."
"I know, but let's not make it a habit, alright?" Matthew replied, his tone sincere. "I don't like it when you look at me with distrust because, no matter what, I truly appreciate you as my best friend."
"I do too, I appreciate your ass too," I joked, a grin tugging at the corners of my lips. Though I didn't say it out loud, I knew he understood just how much his presence meant to me. My words couldn't fully capture the depth of our bond, but actions speak louder than words, don't they?
"I'm bloody exhausted. Let's just call it a night," Matthew groaned, stifling a yawn as he shuffled over to his bed, giving my hair a playful tousle before collapsing onto his mattress. I followed his lead, feeling the exhaustion seep into my bones as I joined him, ready to make my case for crashing in his bed instead of suffering on the lumpy couch downstairs.
But that moment of peace was short-lived as a sudden, horrified scream pierced the air, causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. My heart pounded with fear as I bolted out of the room, racing toward the source of the piercing shriek.
In mere seconds, my mind conjured a multitude of terrifying scenarios, each one haunting my thoughts with the possibility of becoming reality. Panic gripped my heart and mind like never before, sending tremors through my quivering hands and causing my legs to threaten collapse. With a shaky resolve, I reached the door of the room, my body freezing on the threshold as I braced myself for the sight that awaited me.
As my eyes absorbed the scene before me, Damien and another girl, who had arrived earlier with Vanessa, attempted to usher me out of the room. But my gaze remained locked on her—my sister.
"Nicolo, you need to wait outside. Matthew will handle this, alright?" Damien's voice carried a note of urgency as he tried to persuade me, pushing my rigid form out of the room. Reluctantly, I allowed them to guide me away, and they closed the door behind us.
As I stood outside, her anguished cries echoing in my ears, my mind replayed the brutal sight that had seared itself into my memory. Her scars—there were so many of them. Burn marks, unmistakable even from a distance, marred her arms, her back, every inch of her skin. And there was more—a cruel hand had engraved her flesh with a knife, leaving a mosaic of words and symbols across her body. Yet, amidst the chaos, one detail stood out—the number '14', stark and bold, etched below her neck.
My heart recoiled in horror at the mere thought of what other cruelties her tank top concealed from the world. Were there more scars, more agony etched into her skin, hidden from view? With each passing moment, my heart sank deeper, the ache resonating loudly within me, a painful reminder of the unfathomable suffering my sister had endured.
Unbeknownst to me, tears welled in my eyes, a silent testament to the agony that consumed me at the sight of my sister's suffering. My heart shattered into a million pieces, the pain so unbearable that it threatened to suffocate me. But amid the chaos and despair, one question plagued my mind:
What had happened to her?
_______________________________________
A/N:- Did you like the chapter?
Hopefully, you did!....
How is the cliffhanger by the way???
Your opinions? Any thoughts or feedback?
Any theories?
Take care ❤️
Bye!
Love,
Ms_CornSalad❤️